Fire extinguisher



Feb. 28, 1928.

R. KAUCH ET AL FIRE EXTINGUISHER Filed March 29, 1923 @lmuentoz PatentedFeb. 28, 1928.

ROBERT KAUCE AND CHARLES L. PAULUS, OF DAYTON, OHIO.

FIRE EXTINGUISHEB.

Application filed March 29, 1923.

This invention relates to fire extinguishers, one of the main objectsbeing to provide such a device which may be operated with one hand. Theunderlying principle of the invention resides in a novel form ofcontainer for the fire extinguishing agent, which container iscollapsible under pressure generated by the burning of a powder chargeignited manually by means of a firing fuse, the collapsible containerwhen under the pressure of the burning charge operating to expel thefire extinguishing agent therefrom.

A further object of the invention is to provide means whereby thecontainer is automatically punctured after the pyrotechnic device is putin operation, thereby insuring the proper functioning of the fireextinguisher.

With the above and other objects in View, the invention consists in thenovel construction, combination and arrangement herein fully described,shown and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings- Fig. 1 is a diametrical longitudinalsection through the fire extinguisher, showing the container in itsexpanded-condition as when filled with fire extinguishing agent.

Fig. 2 is a similar section showing the position assumed by the partsafter the container has been collapsed and the contents of theextinguisher expelled.

The fire extinguisher in the illustrated embodiment thereof, comprises acasing or shell 1, which is preferably of corrugated tubularconstruction with the corrugations extending around the same. This typeof casing structure is very strong, having successfully passed a droptest, required by the Underwriters Association in judging the merits offire extinguishing apparatus. By corrugatin the casing as shown anddescribed, itis possible to cut down considerably the thickness of themetal used in the shell, while retaining the original strength required.The shell 1 is closed at its outer end by an end wall 2 and is closed atits other end by means of a closure or cap 3 which is threaded, as shownat 4, u on a reinforcing collar 5 surrounding the ad acent end of theshell 1 and threaded to receive said cap 3.

Mounted within the casing or shell 1 is a. corrugated container 6 forthe fire extinguishing agent, whether liquid, fluid, or otherwise. Thecontainer 6 is of bellows formation being preferably composed of thinSerial No. 628,499.

sheet metal, such as lead or white metal of about ten-one-thousandthsinch gauge. Due to the corrugations in its side Wall the container ispositively collapsed into a compact form as shown in Fig. 2. In using acontainer having a straight wall no positive form is obtainable in itscollapse and as it is necessary that all the li uid be expelled in thecontainer, a corrugate side Wall has been found to be much moresatisfactory than a straight wall design. At its outer end, thecontainer 6 is reduced and tapered and fits within the correspondinglytapered or conical portion 7 of the end wall or cap 2 of the casing 1,being held firmly therein by means of an externally tapered orwedge-shaped ring 8. Within the ring 8 is a diaphragm 9 which is formedwith annular crimps or corrugations 10 thereby making what may be termeda deformable end Wall for the container 6. The end wall 9 is located ashort distance from the central portion of the cap 2 and the latter isprovided with an inwardly projecting outlet nozzle 11 having a centralbore 12 of lateral or annular formation, the bores 13 intersecting thebore 12. The nozzle 11 terminates at its inner end in a point 14 whichserves to pierce a hole in the deformable end wall 9 when the latter ispressed against the nozzle.

After the container, which is filled with the fire extinguishing agent,is inserted in the casing 1, the cap 3 is screwed upon the end of thecasing 1 and a tight seal is made by means of a sealing disk 15, theouter edge of which is bent over and clamped against a bevel portion 16of the collar 5, as clearly shown in the drawings. A disk-shaped piece17 is placed against the adjacent edge of the casing 1, the sealing disk15 being interposed between the parts 3 and 17 as shown. The disk-shapedpiece 17 is provided with a central hole within which is held the shell19 of a bomb 21 which is constructed of a hollow cylindrical form andconsists of a compressed mass of slow burning powder. The whole unit issealed by the diaphragm 22, and the entire unit is then waterproofed ina conventional way. There is a small clearance between the sealing disk15 and the primer charge 20. A small clearance is also provided betweenthe sealing disk 15 and a firing pin 24 which is adapted to fire thebooster charge through the sealing disk when a knob 23 is struck by thehand. The firing pin, in operating, will not puncture the sealing disk,which is provided to prevent the escape of the gases generated when thepyrotechnic device is set off. When fired the disk 22, which is usuallyof paper, is blown from the shell and the heating of the booster chargeignitesthe compressed mass of slow burning powder along its inner face.The charge then burns comparatively slowly toward its outer wall. Thisaction causes additional pressure to be generated as the fireextinguishing fluid is expelled from its container. v

A follower 26 which seals the upper end of the container 6 is providedto receive the pressure generated by the pyrotechnic device and cause apressure to be exerted to collapse the container when the pyrotechnicdevice is fired. This follower 26 is provided with a downwardlyextending cylindrical extension, which fits into the upper end of thecontainer, this extension being of slightly smaller diameter than theinside diameter of the corrugations of the container, so that when thecontainer is fully collapsed as shown in Fig. 2 this projection willcompletely expel all of the material within the same by filling up thespace which would otherwise be caused between this plate and theopposite end wall. This follower plate is attached to the upper end ofthe container 6 along the line 29 by brazing, soldering, or by anysimilar method so as to form a fluid tight joint at this location. Itwill be seen that the follower plate forms an end closure for thecontainer 6. This follower need not be fitted tightly against the wall 1but is adapted to travel downward inside of the outer casing. Thisfollower is not fitted tightly against the wall 1 so as to permit thepressure gen erated by the pyrotechnic gas generator to act on the sidewalls of the corrugated container 6 to prevent their outward collapsedue to internal pressure. A spring 25 is provided between the followerand the disk 17 which maintains the tapered lowered end of container6.seated in conical portion 7 of the end wall 2. This spring assists theexpelling charge as an additional means to start the collapse of thecontainer but its main function is to provide a means, permittingexpansion or contraction of the container 6 due to temperature changeswhile maintaining the container seated at its lower end in the taperedseat.

7 From the foregoing description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, the operation of the fire extinguisher will nowbe understood. The fire extinguisher is normally held by a supportingdevice or bracket 27 secured to a wall or other support and havingasafety arm 28 which normally lies, behind the knob 23, as shown inFig. 1. This renders the fire extinguisher perfectly'safe when not inuse as it cannot be discharged until after it has been removed from thesupport 27 Then the knob 23 may be struck so as to operate the firingpin 24 and ignite the primer 20 with the result above noted.

As soon as the pyrotechnic device is set in operation by striking theknob 23 the pressure generated by the burning owder causes the container6 to be gradua ly collapsed,

but just as it begins to collapse the deform to be limited thereto butaim to cover in the appended claims all modifications falling fairlyWithin the scope of our invention.

1. In a device of the class described, a collapsible corrugatedcontainer for a material, a casing around said container and normallyspaced therefrom serving to confine the same within certain bounds as itis collapsed, a follower plate on the end of said container and apyrotechnically operated projector carried by said casing and adaptedupon'discharge to generate a pressure to positively collapse thecontainer and expel all the material.

2. In a. container for the storing of flowable material, a transverselycorrugated col: lapsible bellows for holding said material, means forgenerating gas pressure for collapsing said bellows to expel saidmaterial,

and a transversely corrugated tubular casing having an inside diameterslightly larger than the outside diameter of said bellows for confiningsaid bellows within certain bounds as it is collapsed.

3. In a fire extinguisher, a collapsible container for thefire-extinguishing .agent, a casing and pyrotechnic means for generatingpressure on the end and sides of said container collapsing the containerto expel said agent. I

4. In a fire extinguisher, a collapsible corrugated container for thefire-extinguishing agent, corrugated means for confining said containerwithin certain bounds as it is collapsed, a follower plate on the end ofsaid container, and pyrotechnic means for posi- Y tively collapsing thecontainer to expel all the fire-extinguishing agent having a collapsibleside wall and a deformable end wall, puncturing means for said end Wall,and gas pressure means effective on an end and sides of said containerfor collapsing the container and deforming the end Wall to effectpuncture of the same and release said agent under pressure.

7. In a fire extinguisher, a casing, a collapsible corrugatedfire-extinguishing agent container therein having a deformable end wall,pyrotechnic means for collapsing said container and causing deformationof said wall, and puncturing means held by said casing adapted to piercesaid wall as it is deformed. f

8. In a device of the class described, a liquid container havingadiscl1arge outlet, pyrotechnic means for generating pressure withinsaid container, a diaphragm forming an end wall of said container andnormally sealing the liquid from the discharge outlet, and means forpuncturing the diaphragm upon the generation of pressure within thecontainer. A

9. In a container for the storing of flowa'ble material a collapsiblecontainer for the material, a casing around the container serving toconfine the same within certain bounds as it is collapsed, said casingproviding a conical seat for the discharge end of the container, meansfor maintaining the container seated in said seat, and means forcollapsing said container.

10. In a receptacle for the storing of flowable material, an end piecefor said receptacle, means for generating a pressure within saidreceptacle for the expulsion of said material, and a sealing disk formedof a flat unperforated sheet of metal through which the said means isoperated, said sealing disk serving at all times to seal the end of thereceptacle, said means comprising an explosive primer charge directlybeneath the sealing disk.

11. In a receptacle for the storing of flowable material, an end piecefor said receptacle, means for generating a pressure within saidreceptacle for the expulsion of said material, and a sealing disk formedof a flat unperforated sheet of metal through which the said means isoperated, said sealing disk serving at all times to seal the end of thereceptacle, said means comprising an explosive primer charge directlybeneath the sealing disk, and a. combustible gas generating chargeignited by said primer charge, and a firing pin held by said receptacleadjacent the sealing disk for manual operation.

12. In a fire extinguisher, a corrugated collapsible tubular containerfor fire extinguishing fluid, a casing around said container serving toconfine the same within certain bounds as it is collapsed, and aprojector carried by said casing and adapted upon discharge to generatea pressure effective on one end and the sides of the container tocollapse the container and expel the material.

13. In a corrugated fire extinguisher, a corrugated substantiallycylindrical casing, a corrugated cylindrical tube to be collapsed as abellows having a deformable end wall, said container having an outsidediameter smaller than the inside diameter of the casing, said tube beingadapted to contain fire extinguishing material, a follower plate ofslightly smaller diameter than the inside diameter of the casingattached to and sealing one end of the tube, said plate having asubstantially cylindrical projection extending into the said one end ofthe tube to displace practically all of the fire extinguishing materialwhen the tube is fully collapsed.

14. In a fire extinguisher, a fire extinguishing agent container havinga deformable wall, means for causing expelling pressure on saidcontainer and deflecting said deformable wall, and an outlet nozzle ofpyramidal shape having a sharp puncturing point to penetrate saiddeformable wall as it is deflected, said outlet nozzle being providedwith passages extending from the sides of the pyramid to a central exitpassage therein.

15. A fire extinguisher, a corrugated casing, a corrugated collapsiblecontainer for holding fire extinguishing fluid having the corrugationsextending around the same said container having a deformable end walladapted to be bulged outwardly due to the pressure of the container,means for holding the said end of said container tightly against one endof said casing, pyrotechnic means for causing expelling pressure on saidcontainer and deflecting said deformable Wall, said means including afollower plate attached to the end of said container, said plate havinga substantially cylindrical projection extending into the said end ofthe container to expel practically all of the material when thecontainer is fully collapsed, and a nozzle held by said casing adjacentthe deformable wall of the container and having a puncturing point topenetrate said deformabe wall when expelling pressure is applied to saidcontainer.

16. In a fire extinguisher, a cylindrical corrugated casing having thecorrugations extending around the same, a corrugated collapsiblecontainer for holding fire extinguishing fluid having a deformable endwall, said container being held within said casing, pyrotechnic meansfor causing expelling pressure on an end and sides of said container,and deflecting said deformable wall, a follower plate attached to theend of said container adjacent to the said pyrotechnic means, said platehaving a substantially cylindrical projection extending into the saidend of the container to expel practically said container, and handoperated means for all of the material when the container is firing saidpyrotechnic means. fully collapsed, and a nozzle held by said Intestimony whereof we aflix our signa- 10 casing adjacent the deformableWall of the tures.

5 container and having a puncturing pyramidal point to penetrate saiddeformable ROBERT KAUCH. Wall when expelling pressure is applied toCHARLES L. PAULUS.

